Canadian TV-on-DVD Roundup (January 9, 2009)
I don’t normally point things like this out as I am the king of generalization, but Lacey begins his review with the “I don’t watch Canadian television even though I’m Canadian” and “most Canadian TV is cheap and cheesy” caveats.
Considering that I talk about Canadian television for this site, I’m curious to know why Lacey makes this comment. The “low production values” argument is weak in the age of Tripping the Rift, Heartland et al.
Canada is the king of badly-tweened Flash cartoons, I’ll grant Lacey that, but the Canadian television industry knows how to put out a good-looking show these days. I’m not saying the industry’s a torrent of wonderment, but it’s not like it was in the 1980s or 1990s.
Canada’s just not releasing more of its good shows on DVD. Someone should pick up the SCTV ball that Shout! Factory unceremoniously dropped. You Can’t Do That on Television better come out on DVD before the tape masters rot.
The Los Angeles Times reviews the Fraggle Rock complete series set. There’s no mention of the set’s shoddy packaging, the review sticking hard and fast to the basics. Newspapers are free advertising, after all.
Spider-Man vs. The Vulture earns a stand-alone release. This disc was originally part of the Villains Showdown box set, and I just love stand-alone releases! These discs never go into the bargain bin within a year!
I should draw attention to the horrible cover art. That image is almost on par with public-domain cartoon compilation artwork. The Vulture’s face in particular is wretchedly drawn. The Vulture is supposed to be ugly, but what the hell?
This seems to have slipped past the radar. I know Imavision’s promoting a Chaotic volume set on Teletoon. The title is one of Imavision’s best sellers. What I didn’t know is that My Goldfish is Evil has had a first-season set out since November 2008.
My Goldfish is Evil is one of those post-modern cartoons where the fish being out of water isn’t a detriment to its survival. No one knows the fish is evil or capable of building machinery aside from a ten-year-old conspiracy theorist. It’s the timeworn “pet has a secret life” premise currently employed by Phineas and Ferb and Kid vs. Kat.
Surprisingly, My Goldfish is Evil is not animated in Flash. I know, crazy!
John E. Mitchell of The Last Visible Blog reviews The Starlost. He likes it!
Todd Erwin of Home Theater Forum reviews Super Dave’s Super Stunt Spectacular. He hates it.
Press release for the upcoming Goosebumps DVDs, “Return of the Mummy” and “The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight.”
This Canadian TV-on-DVD Roundup entry has been the weakest yet. Some Canadian television shows are going to make DVD debuts shortly, right? Come on, Canada. You’re killing me here. A country where Beastmaster has season sets and CODCO doesn’t is not a country I’d like to live in.
completely superfluous.
